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Game 1—@Penn State Nittany Lions


zipsoutsider

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Well, their star WR Godwin is probably going to declare for the draft. But yeah, they do return Barkley and the QB for sure..who I hate to say it, but reminds me of Manziel in college. Barkley also looks like the top returning RB in the nation next year. Going to be a slaughter. Penn State is back.

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10 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Going to be a slaughter.

 

No different than Wisconsin this year or Oklahoma the year before. We typically take the largest paycheck available, which is offered by the blue bloods. Sometimes you luck into facing a Michigan program when it's down or luck into facing a Penn State after a huge scandal, but more times than not it ends in a 30-40+ point loss. That's why I was glad to see we let ourselves get bought by a team like Illinois.

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35 minutes ago, kreed5120 said:

 

No different than Wisconsin this year or Oklahoma the year before. We typically take the largest paycheck available, which is offered by the blue bloods. Sometimes you luck into facing a Michigan program when it's down or luck into facing a Penn State after a huge scandal, but more times than not it ends in a 30-40+ point loss. That's why I was glad to see we let ourselves get bought by a team like Illinois.

Just like every other G5 in the country.

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7 minutes ago, LZIp said:

Just like every other G5 in the country.

 

Your statement is mostly true, but not all G5 programs are rushing to play Bama, Oklahoma, or USC every year. They also let programs like Purdue, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Boston College, or even a middle of the road team like Minnesota buy them.

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1 hour ago, zipsoutsider said:

It's painful to watch a shellacking like Wisconsin but in addition to the paycheck, the kids love playing at the these venues. It's a nice recruiting tool.

 

Great Post.  One of these days we'll hopefully break through.

 

I love the OOC football road trips.  My wife and I have gotten to see a lot of new places that way, and Madison was no exception.  But I have to admit, I've never made this Penn State trip, through all of the times we've played them dating back to 2000 I believe??   I'm planning on finally making this one.  Looking forward to it.  For those of you who've never been to that area, it's beautiful.  

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2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

Great Post.  One of these days we'll hopefully break through.

 

I love the OOC football road trips.  My wife and I have gotten to see a lot of new places that way, and Madison was no exception.  But I have to admit, I've never made this Penn State trip, through all of the times we've played them dating back to 2000 I believe??   I'm planning on finally making this one.  Looking forward to it.  For those of you who've never been to that area, it's beautiful.  

I made the last PSU trip and it was an awesome experience. The fans couldn't have been nicer and it was awesome hearing the stadium dead quiet with a close score, going into halftime. Our D played a great game that day. I also attended the Iowa-PSU Whiteout game. That ranked just below the Tennesee - Alabama game experience, for me.

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I think I'll make this one this year.  Didn't make it to the last two.  Made it to Tennessee and Michigan, so who knows...maybe I'm good luck?

 

If Warren Ball is back with the OL mostly intact from last year, I'd like to see what he can do against a BIG-10 team (not saying they'll win, just interested).

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1 hour ago, Blue & Gold said:

But all will be for naught if our OL can't run-block better than they did last year.

 

Hopefully with one year under their belt, they'll be able to gel better this year?  QB uncertainty didn't help the run game because they were almost daring us to beat them with the passing game, which we clearly couldn't do.

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  • 3 months later...

Andrew Callahan lists four things PSU fans should know Akron  click for entire analysis

 

Injuries derailed the Zips – Akron's offense ended last season with a converted wide receiver at quarterback, and the team went 1-5 down the stretch as its defense suffered a matching fate of misfortune.

 

Woodson is dangerous – Woodson produced some impressive peaks, throwing for 732 yards and accounting for seven touchdowns against Marshall and Appalachian State. His talent is undeniable, so count on plenty of praise being heaped his way by Lion players and coaches prior to kickoff.

 

O line is sturdy – Akron returns four of five starters from a year ago and boasts two other linemen with starting experience. They provided enough time for Akron quarterbacks to finish in the top 25 nationally in yards/completion last season

 

Defensive holes – The Zips were armed with an entirely new linebacking core and forced to replace a number of contributing defensive linemen. The problem now is they're still churning their depth chart up front and new faces will abound in the secondary.

 

@ACallahan_247

 

Andrew has some PSU football notes here (click link for video on PSU spring game analysis)

 

• Could Mike Gesicki or Marcus Allen sneak into the 1st round of next year's NFL draft? Right now, I'd put that at doubtful, but certainly not out of the question. Each will need to produce their best season yet this fall to secure a place in that discussion.

• I expect Jake Cooper to be ready for the season and to serve as the team's third-string linebacker at both the Mike and Will spots.

• I'm guessing Juwan Johnson hauls in the first touchdown of next season among wideouts. It'll be a high-pointed, red-zone throw against Akron, with the Zips stacking the box to stop Saquon Barkley.

 

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, zipsoutsider said:

This is a great road trip - the fans are really great, here and the game day experience is exceptional. 

You do realize this is the Penn State thread, right?

 

Certainly, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I really do not agree with your assessment of this roady at all.  First of all, it is located right square in the middle of B.F.E.  There is literally nothing to do in these hick towns that surround the place.  The closest hotel room we could get worth staying in last time was in Clearfield.  Denny's Beer Barrel Pub was a nice place to get a burger and a couple of draft craft brews but more of a restaurant than a bar.  You can only sit there so long.  We asked the question at Denny's where the closest sports bar was. . .we were sent to "Legends Sports Bar & Grill".  We punch in the address into the GPS and it takes us into a residential area where we see the so-called sports bar.  It's in the downstairs of a house.  So we walk in and have a seat.  The barmaid comes around and ZipsWin! asks for a beer list.  "We don't have a beer list but we've got anything you want."  ZipsWin! presses her and she says with a labored sigh the draft list, "Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Yuengling and Shock Top".  I s.hit you not.

 

We wind up at another hole in the wall bar downtown and finally decide to go back to Denny's for some carry-out beer (Pennsylvania beer laws :john:).  We go back to the hotel and drink on the back patio until they turned the lights out on us and told us to go to our rooms.  Had a nice conversation with a young lady from Georgia (not the one that borders Florida), before we were given the bum's rush though.

 

We only had a few more sips in the room before hitting the sack because we had to get up before dawn to continue the rest of the trek to B.F.E.

 

It literally takes forever to get to Happy Valley and it's not the most enjoyable drive.  When we finally got there, we flashed our pre-paid Beaver Stadium Parking Pass.  I'm looking at it as I speak.  Audit# 07440.  That pass was good for one parking spot.  In a horse arena.  Once again, I s.hit you not.  Our group had a fun time in and amongst ourselves like we always do, but I found the fanbase to be awfully cocky and superior acting for the slice of humble pie they had been recently served.  There was certainly no shame in their game!  We were even asked in a very insulting way what a "Zip even was, anyway?" and the response was classic, not suitable for print on this fine forum and clearly struck a nerve with the drunken redneck Nit that asked it.

 

I found the in game experience to be sterile and unexciting, much like their white & blue uniforms and black shoes.

 

After the disappointing loss, we wound up at Otto's which was a great little brewery with decent beer and fantastic food.  After a quick sup, we made the grueling journey back to civilization.

 

That reminds me. . .

 

What are the best two things to ever come out of Pennsylvania?

 

I-80 & I-76 West.

 

Mark me down for return trips to Wisconsin, Tennessee, Michigan, Pittsburgh or any other roady I've taken to watch the Zips but Penn State?  No, thank you.  Been there and done that.

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I agree on the travel problems getting into the stadium. But I've experienced that in plenty of P5 cities.  

And the difficulty with hotel space is true, because it's nowhere close to any highly populated area.

 

So, plan early, and drive in early.  But other than that, I highly recommend State College!!  

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1 hour ago, K92 said:

What are the best two things to ever come out of Pennsylvania?

Jason Taylor and Thomas Woodson.

 

Kegger at KD's place in Squirrel Hill Friday night, everybody drives to State College Saturday morning. :P

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Hey, I grew up in one of those hick towns in the middle of B.F.E., and let me tell you buddy… never mind, there IS nothing to do there. That's why I moved to Akron.

 

I will make the trip, though, because I grew up a Penn State fan and I can stay with my parents. In the middle of B.F.E.

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I'll second Otto's as a great stop for food and brew.  My experience tailgating in 2013 was much better than what's been described.  I parked in a grass lot close to the stadium and had some great interaction with PSU fans.  They were very friendly and shared drinks and food with us.

 

I found the actual stadium experience to be pretty lacking, as the fans weren't all that loud or into it.  My PSU buddy condescendingly said, "Well it's normally loud, but it's just quiet because it's Akron." Well pal, Akron was giving you all you wanted for three quarters, and if we'd had any redzone offense that day, you would've lost, no thanks to your fans who sat there like bumps on a log the whole day.  It was also the season opener for cripes sake, how can fans not be excited for that? My experience at other P5 schools playing the Zips has been they are just as loud and boisterous as any other game, so the problem is with the PSU fans, not the team they're playing.

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Well, I don't care about the bar experience. I don't need to drink to enjoy football. And I go to a football game for football, so I don't need a lot else to do. The Creamery will have some incredible ice cream and the band does. Pregame show in the events center. I enjoy the tradition of watching the team do their pre-game walk, too. 

 

As far as loud, it wasn't as loud as the games normally are, but that was partly because we held them very close until Q4. PSI games normally sell out, this wasn't sold out.

 

I think Neyland is louder but these P5 schools don't respect us and I don't expect their fans to, either. Heck our own fans don't respect the team a lot of the time.

 

I guess I expect for traffic to be a nightmare and to have to walk a mile after parking, so no big deal for me. I made it a day trip because I ibew tge hotel scene would be a nightmare. I usually try to stay in town, with friends who live there or make it a day trip. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, zipsoutsider said:

Well, I don't care about the bar experience. I don't need to drink to enjoy football. And I go to a football game for football, so I don't need a lot else to do. The Creamery will have some incredible ice cream and the band does. Pregame show in the events center. I enjoy the tradition of watching the team do their pre-game walk, too. 

 

As far as loud, it wasn't as loud as the games normally are, but that was partly because we held them very close until Q4. PSI games normally sell out, this wasn't sold out.

 

I think Neyland is louder but these P5 schools don't respect us and I don't expect their fans to, either. Heck our own fans don't respect the team a lot of the time.

 

I guess I expect for traffic to be a nightmare and to have to walk a mile after parking, so no big deal for me. I made it a day trip because I ibew tge hotel scene would be a nightmare. I usually try to stay in town, with friends who live there or make it a day trip. 

 

 

Will Smith don't gotta cuss in his raps to sell records.

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6 hours ago, K92 said:

You do realize this is the Penn State thread, right?

 

Certainly, everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I really do not agree with your assessment of this roady at all.  First of all, it is located right square in the middle of B.F.E.  There is literally nothing to do in these hick towns that surround the place.  The closest hotel room we could get worth staying in last time was in Clearfield.  Denny's Beer Barrel Pub was a nice place to get a burger and a couple of draft craft brews but more of a restaurant than a bar.  You can only sit there so long.  We asked the question at Denny's where the closest sports bar was. . .we were sent to "Legends Sports Bar & Grill".  We punch in the address into the GPS and it takes us into a residential area where we see the so-called sports bar.  It's in the downstairs of a house.  So we walk in and have a seat.  The barmaid comes around and ZipsWin! asks for a beer list.  "We don't have a beer list but we've got anything you want."  ZipsWin! presses her and she says with a labored sigh the draft list, "Bud, Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite, Yuengling and Shock Top".  I s.hit you not.

 

We wind up at another hole in the wall bar downtown and finally decide to go back to Denny's for some carry-out beer (Pennsylvania beer laws :john:).  We go back to the hotel and drink on the back patio until they turned the lights out on us and told us to go to our rooms.  Had a nice conversation with a young lady from Georgia (not the one that borders Florida), before we were given the bum's rush though.

 

We only had a few more sips in the room before hitting the sack because we had to get up before dawn to continue the rest of the trek to B.F.E.

 

It literally takes forever to get to Happy Valley and it's not the most enjoyable drive.  When we finally got there, we flashed our pre-paid Beaver Stadium Parking Pass.  I'm looking at it as I speak.  Audit# 07440.  That pass was good for one parking spot.  In a horse arena.  Once again, I s.hit you not.  Our group had a fun time in and amongst ourselves like we always do, but I found the fanbase to be awfully cocky and superior acting for the slice of humble pie they had been recently served.  There was certainly no shame in their game!  We were even asked in a very insulting way what a "Zip even was, anyway?" and the response was classic, not suitable for print on this fine forum and clearly struck a nerve with the drunken redneck Nit that asked it.

 

I found the in game experience to be sterile and unexciting, much like their white & blue uniforms and black shoes.

 

After the disappointing loss, we wound up at Otto's which was a great little brewery with decent beer and fantastic food.  After a quick sup, we made the grueling journey back to civilization.

 

That reminds me. . .

 

What are the best two things to ever come out of Pennsylvania?

 

I-80 & I-76 West.

 

Mark me down for return trips to Wisconsin, Tennessee, Michigan, Pittsburgh or any other roady I've taken to watch the Zips but Penn State?  No, thank you.  Been there and done that.

If you remember, the lady from "Georgia" was nice enough to ignore the curfew for quite some time or else we would have been forced to turn in sooner than the Pennsylvania Dutch. 

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9 minutes ago, Zipgrad01 said:

If you remember, the lady from "Georgia" was nice enough to ignore the curfew for quite some time or else we would have been forced to turn in sooner than the Pennsylvania Dutch. 

Ja, die mennoniten genehmigen nicht das trinken vor elf.

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